Among year-round festivities and cultural celebrations in Coronado, a street fair in Spring welcomes community members to a showcase of local artists and wineries featuring an afternoon full of activities for the entire family.
The Coronado Schools Foundation and the Coronado Chamber of Commerce will partner to present the second annual Coronado Art and Wine Festival on May 13, from 12 to 5 p.m.
Located on 10th and Orange Avenue, the event is free to the public, but tickets can be purchased for win and food tastings, according to the foundation’s website.
This year, the festival anticipates attendance to surpass last year’s 3,000 attendees. It expects another successful turnout with visitors from communities across Southern California and the state.
70 artists booths
Multiple attractions include more than 70 artist booths, wine and champagne tastings with bites from local food vendors, live music and student performances. Attendees may also participate in the silent art auction with donated artists’ pieces, and youth may prepare Mother’s Day crafts or learn about STEM in the hands-on Kids-ARTopia.
According to the festival’s website, areas for wine tasting require a paid ticket starting at $50, Additionally, the funds raised support Coronado K-12 STEM & Arts programs.
Coronado Schools Foundation CEO and President Michelle Gilmore declined to comment on the festival.
More information about the festival can be found at CoronadoArtandWineFestival.com.
Coronado through photography
Selected artists participating in the showcase are notified in April. Each participating artist’s sales made at the event goes directly to their individual business.
Coronado resident and professional photographer Derek Emge, 55, sold three art pieces in 2022 and will return to the festival featuring art with beach and ocean related themes.
Emge focuses on close up details like a wave or shells, rather than landscapes. His photography, printed on metal and acrylic glass like plexiglass, ranges in cost and size.
“I’ll be selling matted eight by 12 prints for $38 and up to 48 inch glass pieces for about $2,200,” said Emge.
Emge considers last year a very good showing with the combination of music, wine, and all the art vendors.
There was a very enthusiastic crowd, allowing for great conversations as well as meeting great people and reconnecting with a lot of clients who have purchased art from me in the past, he said.
Stories of Coronado
One conversation starter was an image of a wild flamingo, or a local large bird down in the bay called Pink Floyd, that made Emge realize that the most popular images have a story that people could connect to.
Now he captures images that tell stories of Coronado, such as the bridge, a set of pelicans, boats and big waves.
“Things that people regularly see on their walks around Coronado interest them,” said Emge. “Those sort of stories that people have in their memory banks when they see my images, and it comes out, that’s kind of what I’ve really been focused on since last year.”
Emge said he looks forward to another year of conversations that will help refine his artwork.
“The greatest takeaway is talking with people that collect and purchase art.”
-Coronado artist Derek Emge.
“The greatest takeaway is talking with people that collect and purchase art,” said Emge. “I love to see what they’re interested in or hear what they’re interested in, what kind of images I have that spark an interest or spark a conversation.”
Bigger turnout this year
Chula Vista resident and artist Czarina Scolari, 60, paid and signed up for this year, but canceled due to a family emergency. She intends to return in 2024.
Scolari considers the first festival in Coronado had a good turnout and believes there will be a bigger turnout this year due to the expanded area in Coronado.
In 2022, Scolari sold two paintings, which typically range from $600 to $2,000 a piece and are generally 30-by-40 and 36-by-36.
“My style of artwork is expressionism,” said Scolari. “I like to evoke emotions, subjectives as far as women are concerned. I have three grown women that are beautiful with large eyes, large lips, and I like to paint women in general. My medium is acrylic, and I use a lot of gold, silver and copper leaf to enhance my paintings.”
Scolari said the Coronado Art and Wine Festival and others across San Diego are an opportunity to showcase her art and get a broader view from people who don’t see her on social media.
She also enjoyed the camaraderie with other artists.
“It’s a fabulous event,” said Scolari. “It’s in a wonderful time of the year in May when the weather starts to become really nice in San Diego and in Coronado in general.”
